


Iron Born

by KRiley



Series: Iron Born [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-08 12:52:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18623662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KRiley/pseuds/KRiley
Summary: Morgan Stark takes after her father.





	Iron Born

Pepper missed Tony something fierce on a good day, but almost more on the days Morgan showed just how much she took after her father. From the look in her dark eyes, to the defiant tilt of her chin and thick locks of brown hair, she had inherited few of her mother's physical attributes, but her mind is what made her her father's daughter most of all.

Pepper had left most of Tony's childproofing of his garage and workshop in place, but those had proven of little consequence before her father had died, so it didn't come as a surprise that by the time she was six she had found solace in and knew every nook and cranny of the spaces that had been a home to her father wherever he went.  Tony's robots would watch over her, fire extinguishers at the ready, as she started exploring, started learning, and before long, started inventing. She was in love with technology and machinery, loved the way she could make all these moving parts dance in harmony and just make something _work_.  Loved science, loved learning new science that earthly laws of nature could not even begin to describe, and loved how some truths really were universal.

She was incredible, her brilliance like the bright flame that seemed to fire Tony on and drew people to her just like it had to him. Sometimes Pepper worried when she saw how openly Morgan chose to embrace the world. She had her father's kindness after all, and Pepper, like any mother, didn't want her to get hurt more. But as she watched her daughter grow, she also realised, some hurts, she couldn't protect her from. She couldn't protect her from the hurt of losing her father, and that first and greatest hurt had taken its toll on her daughter.

Though Pepper kept in touch with most of them, Morgan some days couldn't stand to be around the Avengers. A young child's memory can be a strong influence, and the brightest memory she had of her dad was the hug he gave her, telling her he was just going out to do some important work, help his friends, and he'd be back before she'd know. Their presence in her life was so intricately linked with the loss of her father, the anger and sadness of his loss sometimes manifested itself in hostility to the band of superheroes. So, when she took her first suit out for a flight, she didn't tell any of them. She didn't tell them, but when she touched down with a clank in the early hours after that first flight, Uncle Rhodey was waiting for her with a cheeseburger and milkshakes. The blush on her cheeks turned from one of excitement to shame.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I just..."

"You needed to know if you could do it on your own, I know Monkey. It's okay."

*****

Morgan loved her Mom and she told her almost everything. They were closer than most, but some things, hero things, she told Rhodey first. He'd helped raise her, and he understood the need to go out there, do something. She also loathed the thought of worrying them. So when Rhodey figured out there was something she hadn't told him, he got worried.

He'd dismissed it at first, figuring secrecy was bound to become part of their relationship once puberty really set in, but after one too many suddenly cut off sentences upon him entering the workshop, or the quick swipe on a holo screen, Rhodey decided to simply go in and ask. The answer broke his heart all over again.

Head bowed, eyes on the floor, Morgan spoke in a strained voice. "Time to fess up TONI, no more need to hide."

A voice filled the workshop, the familiar sound of it making a lump form in Rhodey's throat.  It had been years since he'd heard Tony Stark's voice and the sound of it, genuine, real, alive almost, send shivers down Rhodey's spine. "I think the jig is up Kid," Tony, or rather the AI his daughter had created, agreed. Over the years, he and Pepper had shown her countless recordings, photos, videos and other materials to make sure she grew up knowing exactly who her father was, what kind of man he had been.

Rhodey should have known.

Her father created JARVIS, the man who had been as much a father figure to him as anyone, from not much more than memory and grief. Of course, his daughter would find a way to bring her dad closer to her, even if it was just a little bit. Even if it had to be like this.

Morgan had a steady stream of tears running down her cheeks, words coming out in bursts as she raced to explain, begged Rhodey to understand.

"I... I know, he's not really- really him, and I know it's probably not healthy but I just... I wanted to feel what it was like to talk to him again. To have him answer!"

A sob caught up her next words.

"It's just... One day, I'm going to be the only thing that's left of him. Me and my memories of him. And I've already forgotten so much, I... I don't want him to be forgotten. He can't disappear completely; I can't let that happen. Please, don't take him away from me, please. Please." Rhodey pulled her tight to him, letting Morgan sob into his chest as the presence of the AI hung around them like a cloak, shielding, soothing, the hum of its machinery steady like the single arc reactor glowing in the suit on the wall.


End file.
